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(A) Train
Route The A train starts underground at Inwood - 207th St station in Inwood, Manhattan. It follows Broadway to Fort Tryon Park, passes under the park and onto Fort Washington Avenue. Still a 2-tracked subway, it continues onto Saint Nicholas Avenue, where 168th St, the terminal station of the C train, is. At this point the line becomes a 4-tracked subway, with the A running on the express tracks (except for late nights). The A and C join with the B and D south of 145th St, in a complicated series of switches and tracks called "Homeball Alley." There, the D merges with the A and both services run express. South of 125th St, the line curves onto Frederick Douglass Boulevard and becomes known as the 8th Avenue Line. The A train runs express the whole way down 8th Avenue. The stretch between 125th St and 59th St - Columbus Circle is the longest stretch of track without express stations in the entire subway system. South of 59th St, the B and D turn onto the 53rd Street Line, the E merges with the C and becomes local, and the A continues express. At 14th St, the line goes onto Greenwich Avenue, then 6th Avenue South, where West 4th Street, a large interchange station, is located. After Canal St, the A and C join, splitting off from the E. They turn onto Fulton Street, and take the Cranberry Street tubes under the East River. They then turn onto Jay Street, then onto Schermerhorn Street, then onto Fulton Street (in Brooklyn). Then the A runs express once again, while the C runs local. After Broadway Junction, the line curves onto Pennsylvania Avenue, then Pitkin Avenue. At Euclid Ave, the C terminates, and the A train runs local. The line is reduced to two tracks. After Grant Avenue, the A becomes elevated, going above Liberty Avenue with three tracks. After Rockaway Avenue, the line splits. One branch of the A runs to Lefferts Boulevard, while the other branch runs to Far Rockaway. This branch turns onto a special right-of-way between 99th and 100th Streets. It continues on this course, slightly curving a little. By Howard Beach - JFK Airport, the line is running next to 104th Street. Then the line goes over Jamaica Bay. It passes Broad Channel, where there is a station, and then splits into two more branches. One runs to Far Rockaway full-time, along the Rockaway Freeway, and the other runs only during rush hours to Beach 116th Street, along the Rockaway Freeway. Miscellaneous The A's symbol is colored blue, slightly dark, as you can see on the right: The A runs full-time, except for the Rockaway Beach Branch (not to be confused with the LIRR Rockaway Beach Branch) which runs only during rush hours. The S runs from Broad Channel to Beach 116th St all other times. The other branches are served full-time. The A runs express when the C is running, and local when the C is not running.